The Confidence Erosion
'The Confidence Erosion '''is the tenth episode of the eleventh season of ''The Big Bang Theory. When Raj's father expresses his beliefs that the frequent teasing from his best friend Howard is the source of Raj's problems and lack of confidence, Raj estranges himself from Howard. In the meantime, Sheldon and Amy are having disagreements about planning their wedding. Plot At girls’ night at Amy’s apartment, Amy and Penny agree that it is nice to be at home doing nothing. While Skyping, Bernadette claims that it’s not any different than her other thirty days of bed rest. Raj shows up at the door to ask some fashion advice…um…from Penny. He has a job interview at the Griffith planetarium since they are looking for an astrophysicist. Amy asks Bernadette if she thought Raj would be good at that, but she then denies that she is watching “The Crown”. Amy says that he needs to pick something that he feels confident in. Raj retorts that he left his magic clothes at home. They don’t like either of his outfits and Raj doubts that he is even going to get the job. He was very confident when he got there as Howard comes onto the computer screen and makes some cracks about Raj being at girls’ night. At the cafeteria, the guys are discussing the Shamy wedding plans. They are using mathematical decision theory to assign random tasks to each other. Raj shows up in a dark suit ready for his afternoon interview. Howard tells him that if it doesn’t work out he can always be a Mormon missionary. Leonard is sure that he will get the job. Raj wishes that Howard would be a little more supportive. Howard then cracks that if he was, Raj could bury him at the funeral home he directs. In his office Raj talks to his father about his interview, which didn't go so well. When they asked his greatest weakness, he talked on that point for 45 minutes. His father blames Raj’s problems on his friends and Howard who is always making fun of him. Raj says that he is just like that and comes from a very sarcastic village called Brooklyn. His father was in a bad relationship where he always felt bad about himself: Raj’s mother. He suggests to Raj that to feel good, he should replace Howard with a pretty 22 year old grad student, which will increase his confidence. Amy and Sheldon are choosing wedding tasks on an on-line slot machine. Amy gets invitations. Yes! Sheldon suggests holographic invitations projected out of R2D2. Amy wants English calligraphy on Egyptian papyrus. Sheldon gets ring bearer and wants R2D2. They both agree that planning their wedding is fun when others say that it is a chore. Raj is talking about his interview with Leonard and Penny. He got so nervous that he just kept apologizing. Penny suggests a therapist, but Leonard shoots down Raj’s suggestion of his mother Beverly. Raj mentions his father comments about Howard and Leonard then agrees. Penny disagrees and says that just what friends do. Leonard tells Penny that she is mean to him sometimes. Raj adds that they are both being disrespected, but Leonard is still willing to take it. The Shamy wedding planners have Amy arriving in a Little House on the Prairie wagon met by an honor guard of Star Wars storm troopers. Amy wonders about the space Nazis so Sheldon suggests she arrive in Luke Skywalker’s land speeder. Sheldon then wants to exchange ushers for the first dance which he eliminates. Amy then changes the confetti to releasing butterflies, which Sheldon objects to. Then they start to make suggestions that they know the other won’t like. Toasts in Latin. Vows in Klingon. The flower girl becomes a dog. Meanwhile, Raj is in his office when Howard shows up and invites him to lunch, which he declines, and when Howard responds with a joke, Raj points out the problem: Howard's teasing jokes are hurting his confidence, to which Howard replies that it's just his way of saying they're friends. However, Raj has had enough of being ridiculed for fifteen years, and tells Howard that it's best if they give each other some space for a while. Howard asks if he can see other needy Indian men in the meantime; Raj yells at Howard to leave. At the cafeteria, Sheldon keeps coming up with wedding plans that Amy will hate. He wants everyone to get rings and for them to get the ring that rules them all ala "Lord of the Rings". Raj turns up and sits at another table, alone, saying that he will sit at the guys' table when Howard leaves. Howard, in disbelief, apologizes for his behavior again, though Raj says that apologizing doesn't negate years of emotional abuse; Howard attempts to offer Raj half of his sandwich, which he turns down, clearly wanting nothing to do with Howard. Leonard goes and sits with Raj so he doesn't have to listen to Sheldon rambling on about his wedding plans. Cast Category:The Big Bang Theory Category:The Big Bang Theory Episodes Category:Television episodes